Ingrown toenail is one of the most often problems of toenails. Recent researches in the US prove that at least 0.1% of the general population suffer from ingrown toenail. This type of deformation cause a painful infectious complication, and may lead to the development of secondary deep infection (especially dangerous for diabetic and immune deficit patients) and pressure sensitivity of the toes with limitation of activity and worsening (detriment) of life quality.
In common knowledge, there are surgical methods for treating ingrown nails (I.N.) that include total nail plate removal or partial resection of nail plate. Those methods demand surgical intervention, and anesthesia with all associated risks. The problems of currently used methods are as follows:                1) risk of operational complications that are especially dangerous in diabetic and immune deficit patients;        2) painful procedures that as a result of the necessity of anesthesia can be consequent in local or general known risks and complications;        3) hypersensitivity of the uncovered nail bed until the new toenail grows;        4) necessity of regular dressing until the new toenail grows;        5) possibility of relapses and postoperative nail deformities.        
A modified technique of operation was developed that includes the resection of the deformed part of the ingrown toenail and sinus of the toenail and sewing the remaining part of the toenail and boundary skin. This is aimed at avoiding the hypersensitivity pointed out in point no. 3 and decreases the necessity of dressing pointed out in point no. 4.
Descriptions of operational methods of conservative I.N. treatment are available and are based on elastic wire application. Wire that is prepared in a stressed state is placed in the nail plate part. During a period of time, the wire restores the ingrown part to normal position. Restrictions of the method lay in its technology. The stress applied with the forces of the wire is maximal in the beginning of the treatment and streaming to zero approaching to its end. High range of forces may lead to pain and nail destruction. Deformity correction is performed during nail growth that in turn demands long period of time. This method is invasive, which is a major disadvantage.
Non-invasive methods aimed at lifting the nail of the toe are available also. Nail correction strips are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,030 “Packaging arrangement for nail correction strips” by Stolz. The strips are adhered onto the surface of the nail. Hoffman in U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,486 “Method of correcting ingrown toenail” discloses a resilient sheet of fibrous reinforced material that is adhered to the nail's surface. The material is fracturable in the direction cross-wise of the direction of growth of the nail and bending the lateral edges of the material downwardly to contact and adhere to the side edges of the toenail. When in place, the material urges the side edges of the toenail upwardly.
Other devices are disclosed that depicts an insert. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,656 “Orthopedic toenail device” by Barmore it is described a device comprising an insert means adapted to be positioned under the nail edges adjacent the forward portion of the nail and the resilient member coacting with the insert means and acting on the top portion of the nail and biasing the insert means into and against the nail underside edges. Another device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,503 “Device and method for treating ingrawing toe nails” by Panner that describes a device comprising an upper member and a lower member interconnected by an interconnecting portion interconnecting the portions only in the center. A pair of wings is provided that are curved rearwardly and downwardly for engaging the upper and lower surfaces respectively of the nail.
The proposed solutions are not controlled and are based mostly on the force of the material, which is adhered or attached to the nail, to restore its original state and by that to flatten the nail.